1Kings 17:1 ¶ And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
In this chapter we are introduced to Elijah the Tishbite of Gilead, one of the great prophets of God in Old Testament scripture. Unlike most of the primary players in scripture, we are told nothing of his parentage.
Elijah = Yahweh is my God
Elijah delivered a message from the LORD God of Israel to Ahab. He told Ahab that as sure as the LORD lives, there would not be dew or rain in the years ahead except as he commanded (implied as commanded by the LORD).
The book of James tells us that this drought was actually in answer to Elijah’s prayer.
James 5:17 “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain….”
He must have been very grieved over the spiritual state of his people and hoped the drought would cause them to repent and turn back to the LORD.
The IVP Commentary provides further insight: “In the Canaanite material available from ancient literature (particularly the information provided by the Ugaritic tablets), Baal is a god of lightning and storm, and responsible for the fertility of the land. By withholding rain, Yahweh is demonstrating the power of his kingship in the very area of nature over which Baal is thought to have jurisdiction. Announcing this beforehand to Ahab is the means by which Yahweh’s kingship and power are being portrayed. If Baal is the provider of rain and Yahweh announces that he will withhold it, the contest is on.”
1Kings 17:2 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
1Kings 17:3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
1Kings 17:4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
1Kings 17:5 So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
1Kings 17:6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
1Kings 17:7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
The LORD then told Elijah to go east and hide by the brook Cherith near the Jordan river. The brook would provide water for Elijah, and the LORD had commanded the ravens to feed him. Elijah did as God commanded. The ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning and evening, and he drank from the brook. After a while, the brook dried up since there had been no rain in the land.
Notice that Elijah doesn’t question what the LORD tells him to do; he just obeys. The fact that He provided food for Elijah by “commanding the ravens” to feed him is yet another proof of His authority and power over His creation.
1Kings 17:8 ¶ And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
1Kings 17:9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
1Kings 17:10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
1Kings 17:11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
The LORD spoke to Elijah again and told him to go to Zarephath, a city of Sidon, Jezebel’s homeland. There was a widow woman there that the LORD had commanded to provide for him. Did God actually speak to this woman? No. He knew, however, that she would do as the prophet asked.
Again, Elijah obeyed the LORD’s command without question. When he reached the gate of the city, the widow woman was there gathering sticks. He called out and asked her for a drink of water. As she left to get it, he called out again and asked her to bring him a bit of bread also.
It stands out to me that though this woman is resigned to dying for lack of food (see next verse), she is still willing to help a foreigner who needs a drink of water.
1Kings 17:12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
The woman explained that she had nothing but a handful of meal in a barrel and a little oil. She was actually gathering two sticks (for fire) so that she could go and prepare it as a last meal for her and her son. She expected that they both would die of hunger after that.
It’s interesting that the woman answered Elijah by referencing the LORD “thy” God that lives. She recognized Elijah as an Israelite. She declared that as surely as Elijah’s God lived so was what she was about to say the truth. Did she use that statement because Elijah believed in God or because she did? Her response (in the following verses) to Elijah’s message and his request testified to having faith or at least wanting to believe.
1Kings 17:13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
1Kings 17:14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.
Elijah told her not to be afraid. He told her to go and do as she had planned, but asked her to make him a little cake first; then she could make something for her and her son. He then told her that the LORD God of Israel had declared that her barrel of meal and supply of oil would not go empty until the day that the LORD sent rain once again.
Both Luke and James tell us that the drought lasted for 3.5 years.
Luke 4:25 “But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land….”
James 5:17 “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.”
1Kings 17:15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
1Kings 17:16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.
The woman did as Elijah said; she acted in faith, and they were sustained for a long time. She never ran out of meal or oil, just as the LORD had declared through Elijah.
1Kings 17:17 ¶ And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.
1Kings 17:18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
There came a time when the woman’s son became sick and died. In her grief, she blamed Elijah. She thought the man of God was punishing her for some past sin. It seems that she was carrying a burden of guilt for that sin.
1Kings 17:19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
1Kings 17:20 And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?
1Kings 17:21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again.
Elijah took the boy from his mother and carried him up to the loft where he stayed and placed the boy on his own bed. He then called out to the LORD and basically asked God why this had happened to the woman’s son. Then Elijah stretched himself out upon the child three times asking the LORD to restore the child to life.
I liked the NIV Commentary’s observation regarding why: “God’s purpose was now evident. The widow’s sin was not at issue, but the testing had come so that her newly found faith might be brought to settled maturity. The Lord was not only the God of the Jews but of all those who believe; he was not only the God of the living but the God of resurrection.”
The IVP Commentary adds insight on Elijah’s actions: “In Mesopotamian incantation literature the touching of part to part is a means by which demons exercise power over their intended victims—it is the idiom of possession….By imitating the procedure believed to be used by demons, the prophet is able, through the power of Yahweh (notice the prayer), to drive the demons out and restore the boy’s life.”
“let this child’s soul come into him again” – This is a statement that testifies to the truth that we are more than just a physical body; we are spiritual beings that are housed in flesh.
1Kings 17:22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
1Kings 17:23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.
1Kings 17:24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.
The LORD answered Elijah’s prayers and restored the child to life. Elijah took the child down to his mother and showed her that he was alive. The woman told Elijah that she now knew (without a doubt is implied) that he was a man of God (the one true God) that spoke the truth as the LORD commanded.
This is the first instance in scripture of a miracle of resurrection from the dead.
Wiersbe: “Elijah didn’t stretch himself out on the boy’s dead body in hopes he could transfer his life to the lad, for he knew that only God could impart life to the dead. Certainly his posture indicated total identification with the boy and his need, and this factor is important when we intercede for others.”
1Kings 18:1 ¶ And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.
1Kings 18:2 And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.
In this chapter we come to the great showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal or actually between the LORD and Baal.
After a long period of time, the LORD came to Elijah telling him to go and see Ahab again. It was time for him to provide relief from the drought. So Elijah set out to meet with Ahab when the famine was most extreme in Samaria.
1Kings 18:3 And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:
1Kings 18:4 For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
1Kings 18:5 And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.
1Kings 18:6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
Meantime, Ahab had commissioned Obadiah, the man in charge of running the king’s house, to go throughout the land in search of water and grass in hopes of saving the horses and mules. Stands out to me that he was more concerned about saving the animals than the people. Sadly, that seems to be an attitude embraced by many in America today.
Ahab and Obadiah divided the land between them and set out in different directions to find water and/or grass.
It seems that Obadiah was one of Ahab’s most trusted servants. This is quite interesting since we are told that Obadiah “feared the LORD greatly.” He did not support the idolatry of Ahab. In fact, when Jezebel tried to get rid of all the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah gathered together 100 prophets, hid them in caves and fed them with bread and water.
1Kings 18:7 And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?
1Kings 18:8 And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.
As Obadiah was searching out the land, he encountered Elijah. Obadiah immediately recognized him. He fell prostrate before the prophet (in fear? Out of respect?) and asked him to confirm that he was Elijah, which he did. Elijah then told Obadiah to go and tell Ahab that he was here.
1Kings 18:9 And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?
1Kings 18:10 As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.
1Kings 18:11 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.
1Kings 18:12 And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.
Obadiah immediately expressed his fear of giving Ahab such a report only to find that Elijah had disappeared again. He noted that Ahab had searched everywhere for Elijah and had even had the leaders of the surrounding kingdoms and nations take an oath to affirm that they were telling the truth when they said they did not know where he was. If he were to tell Ahab that he had found Elijah only to let him escape again, he feared Ahab would kill him.
Obadiah then told Elijah that he had feared and reverenced the LORD since he was a young boy. Knowing that those words probably rang false since he was of such high rank in Ahab’s court, he offered proof of his claim.
Interestingly, Obadiah’s name means “servant of the LORD.”
1Kings 18:13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD’S prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
1Kings 18:14 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.
Obadiah then told Elijah how he had rescued and provided for 100 of the LORD’s prophets when Jezebel sought to kill them. He then reiterated that Ahab would surely kill him if he told them that Elijah had been found (and he had escaped yet again is implied).
1Kings 18:15 And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.
1Kings 18:16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
1Kings 18:17 ¶ And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
Elijah assured Obadiah that as sure as the LORD lives, the LORD that he serves, he would present himself to Ahab that very day. So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah was there to see him, and Ahab went to meet him. When Ahab saw Elijah, he asked him if he was the man that was causing Israel such trouble.
Guzik provides this insight: “Ahab believed that Elijah had angered the sky-god Baal and therefore Baal withheld rain. Ahab probably thought that Baal would hold back the rain until Elijah was caught and executed.”
1Kings 18:18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.
1Kings 18:19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.
1Kings 18:20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.
Elijah did not fear the king. He declared that he wasn’t the one that had brought trouble upon Israel; Ahab and those of his father’s house had. They had forsaken the commandments of the LORD and followed the Baals. The word “Baalim” is plural and references more than one false god.
Elijah told Ahab to call for a gathering of the people of Israel to Mount Carmel. He also wanted present the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets that oversaw the groves and were supported by Jezebel.
Amazingly, Ahab did as Elijah asked. Can’t help but wonder what he was thinking. Did he realize that Elijah was proposing a challenge between Baal and the LORD God of Israel?
JFB provides this note on Mount Carmel: “…is a bold, bluff promontory, which extends from the western coast of Palestine, at the bay of Acre, for many miles eastward, to the central hills of Samaria. It is a long range, presenting many summits, and intersected by a number of small ravines. The spot where the contest took place is situated at the eastern extremity, which is also the highest point of the whole ridge. It is called El-Mohhraka, “the Burning,” or “the Burnt Place.” No spot could have been better adapted for the thousands of Israel to have stood drawn up on those gentle slopes. The rock shoots up in an almost perpendicular wall of more than two hundred feet in height, on the side of the vale of Esdraelon. This wall made it visible over the whole plain, and from all the surrounding heights, where gazing multitudes would be stationed.”
Dr. Thomas Constable provides this insight as to why Elijah may have chosen Carmel for this showdown. “…because it stood between Israel and Phoenicia geographically, neutral ground between Yahweh"s land and Baal"s. Furthermore the Phoenicians regarded Carmel as a sacred dwelling place of Baal. Storms with lightning and thunder were common on Mount Carmel, and Baal worshippers viewed them as manifestations of their deity.”
1Kings 18:21 ¶ And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
1Kings 18:22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
1Kings 18:23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:
1Kings 18:24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.
Once everyone had gathered at Mount Carmel, Elijah spoke to the people. He basically told them they had to make a choice between serving Baal or serving the LORD; one cannot do both. The people had no answer; they knew he was right. Elijah then declared that he was the only remaining prophet of the LORD present, but there were 450 prophets of Baal. (No mention is made of the 400 prophets of Baal that served at the groves.)
Elijah called for the prophets of Baal to get two bulls and choose one for themselves to cut up into pieces and lay it on wood in preparation for a sacrifice to Baal. They were to put no fire under it. Elijah would take the other bull and do the same. The prophets of Baal would call out to Baal to provide fire for their sacrifice, and Elijah would call out to the LORD. The “god” that answered will be proven to be the one true God. The people agreed to this proposal.
1Kings 18:25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.
1Kings 18:26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
The prophets of Baal went first. They called on Baal from the morning until noon, but there was no answer of any kind.
Based on the Hebrew, different translations offer reasonable possibilities for helping us understand the last sentence of v26.
ESV – “And they limped around the altar that they had made.”
CJB – “…they jumped around on the altar they had made.”
NIV – “And they danced around the altar they had made.”
1Kings 18:27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.
1Kings 18:28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
1Kings 18:29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
Finally, at noon Elijah began to mock them. He loudly asked if Baal was busy talking to the other gods or in meditation (both acceptable from the Hebrew), or in a private place and not to be disturbed, or on a vacation, or possibly even asleep and needed awakened.
The prophets of Baal then called out even more loudly to their god and cut themselves with knives and lances until their blood was flowing freely. They continued on until the time approached for the offering of the evening sacrifice. Still there was no answer from Baal of any kind.
I liked Guzik’s comment: “This is the sad result of worshipping an imaginary god or the god of our own making. We may dedicate great sincerity, sacrifice, and devotion to such gods but it means nothing. There is no one there to answer.”
1Kings 18:30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.
1Kings 18:31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
1Kings 18:32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
1Kings 18:33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.
1Kings 18:34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.
1Kings 18:35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.
Elijah then called for the people to gather around him. He repaired the broken altar of the LORD that was there. He took 12 stones, one for each of the sons of Jacob that had fathered the tribes of Israel. He rebuilt the altar in the name of the LORD. He then dug a trench around the altar that was deep and wide enough to hold two measures of seed. Elijah then put wood on the altar and cut the bull into pieces that he then placed on top of the wood. He asked for men to fill four barrels with water and pour it over the wood and the sacrifice; he then asked them to repeat the process three more times. The water soaked the altar and filled the trench.
1Kings 18:36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.
1Kings 18:37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
At the time that the LORD had designated for the evening sacrifice, Elijah called out to the “LORD God of Abraham, Isaac and of Israel.” He asked that it be made known that very day that He is God in Israel and affirmed that Elijah as His servant was acting in obedience to His command. He asked the LORD to answer his prayer so that the people would know without a doubt that He is the LORD God and would turn their hearts back again (to following Him is implied).
1Kings 18:38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
1Kings 18:39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
The fire of the LORD fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the dust and even the water that was in the trench. When the people saw it, they immediately fell on their face and declared the LORD as the one true God.
1Kings 18:40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
Elijah called for the people to take hold of the prophets of Baal and not let one of them escape. They did so and followed Elijah down to the brook Kishon where he killed them.
The IVP Commentary provides more information about the Kishon: “The Kishon River flows northwest from the northern end of the Jezreel Valley to the Mediterranean just east of Haifa. It is fed from the mountains in the Carmel range and from the hills of Galilee around Nazareth.”
1Kings 18:41 ¶ And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.
1Kings 18:42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,
1Kings 18:43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
1Kings 18:44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.
1Kings 18:45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
1Kings 18:46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
Elijah then told Ahab to go and enjoy and good meal because he heard the sound of abundance of rain. Ahab left to do just that. Elijah then went up to the top of Mount Carmel and knelt down on the earth with his face between his knees. He sent his servant to look out over the sea. The servant did as he was asked but came back to report that he saw nothing. The prophet gave this instruction seven times. Finally, on the 7th time the servant reported that there was a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.
I think it is important to note that Elijah didn’t get discouraged when the LORD didn’t respond with the rain as quickly as He responded with sending fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice. Elijah was confident that the rain would come—in God’s timing. I think the personal application is obvious.
Elijah told the servant to go and tell Ahab to get in his chariot and go home quickly before the rain could stop him. Meanwhile, the heaven became black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode quickly to Jezreel, about 15 miles from Carmel.
The hand of the LORD was on Elijah and gave him special strength so that he was able to precede Ahab’s chariot to Jezreel.
Elijah was certainly a man of amazing faith. It is no wonder that he was singled out with Moses to appear with the LORD at the transfiguration.
Matthew 17:1–3 “And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.”
Neither does it surprise me that Elijah will be one of the two witnesses that testify during the first 3.5 years of the tribulation, the last seven years before Jesus returns to earth as King of kings. It will take a proven man of faith to serve in those dark times and confidently operate in the power of the LORD in the working of miracles.
Malachi 4:5–6 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD….”
Revelation 11:3–6 “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.”